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MARQUETTE, Mich. – The NMU Wildcats are preparing to play a home-and-home series against rival Michigan Technological University to continue their conference play matchups. 
 
The 'Cats find themselves ranked 19th again in the USCHO poll, and Michigan Tech moves up two ranks to 17th. 
Puck drop for Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, is set for 6:37 p.m at the Berry Event Center. Followed by an away 6:07 p.m. puck drop at John Macinnes Student Ice Arena. Both games will be streamed via TV6. Friday's game is sponsored by the Veridea Group. 
 
AGAINST THE HUSKIES 
The Wildcats still hold a one-win lead in the overall games played against MTU. The 'Cats lead with 77 wins in the total 167 games played. The Huskies have tallied 76 wins against NMU. This weekend match-up will be the second time the 'Cats go up against the Huskies this season. Last series the 'Cats took the win on the road in thrilling overtime. The Huskies managed to come back the next night and take the win at the Berry. 
 
During the last match-up with MTU, Rico DiMatteo had 43 saves in Friday night's game giving him a season and career-high. Forward AJ Vanderbeck tallied an OT game-winning goal to add to his stats for the season. 
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Live Stats: https://nmuwildcats.com/sidearmstats/mhockey/summary
Radio: https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/ce/wupt
Video: https://www.flohockey.tv/
Twitter: @NMUHockey
Instagram: @nmu_hockey
Facebook: NMU Hockey
TikTok: @nmuhockey
 
LAST TIME OUT
The NMU hockey team is coming off of a split series where they took down the #1 ranked team Minnesota State - Mankato. In a thrilling game on Friday, the Wildcats won 4-2 but fell 4-1 Saturday after a hard-fought game. The 'Cats now go into Friday 10-5-1 on home ice and will go to MTU Saturday 3-4-0 on away ice. Against the Mavericks, Andre Ghantous tallied two more goals putting him at a season total of eight. The takedown of the #1 ranked team Friday was enough to bring the 'Cats back to the USCHO poll at spot 19. Earlier this season the NMU was also ranked 19th for a week going into the Lake Superior State Series. 
 
'CAT FACTS

• Hank Crone owns 24 assists in 23 games played for a national best mark. His 33 points is also second best in the world of DI collegiate hockey. Averaging 1.43 points per game, Crone is sixth in the nation in the category. His linemate AJ Vanderbeck's 1.3 average is 14th overall. With the lone shorthanded goal for NMU thus far, Crone sits tied for ninth nationally in the category.
• With 76 blocks in 23 games played, Ben Newhouse leads the nation in the category. Fellow Wildcat blue liner Mike Van Unen sits T-9th nationally with 44 blocks. 
• AJ Vanderbeck ranks tied for first nationally in goals with 17. His 94 shots is also third nationally, while boasting more goals than the shot leaders above him. Vanderbeck's seven goals on the man-advantage ranks him tied for fourth nationally in power play goals. Vanderbeck's 30 points off 17 goals and 13 assists ranks tied for 6th in the country. 
• Rico DiMatteo has stopped 520 shots this season, good for the 10th best mark in the nation and the second-highest in the CCHA. He also claims the eighth most goalie wins among the nation's goaltenders this season. 
• Mikey Colella's 13 goals ranks T-13th throughout D1 college hockey. He is also ranked T-4th in goals in the country among underclassmen.
• Andre Ghantous' 15 assists is T-25th in the nation.
• The team is averaging 3.87 goals per game, putting them third nationally among all DI teams and second in the CCHA. Capitalizing on 25 power play opportunities, the Wildcats also rank among the best on the man advantage, sitting in 10th with a 24.5% power play percentage. With 144 assists in 23 games, the Wildcats have the 6th best mark in the nation.
• The Wildcats currently claim the goal leader (Vanderbeck - 17) and assist leader (Crone - 24) in the CCHA.  

ON THE RETURNERS
With 83.25 percent of their overall scoring returning in 2021-22, including all four of their top goal-scorers in AJ Vanderbeck, Joseph Nardi, Andre Ghantous, and Vincent de Mey, the Wildcats look to be in good shape heading into the new season.
The team returns 68 of last year's 79 goals this coming season for over 85 percent return rating as three double-digit goal scorers will return to the ice for the Wildcats this season. Sophomore Vanderbeck led NMU in goals scored last year, netting 14 in 29 games played, while adding 13 helpers for 27 total points. Senior Nardi and fellow sophomore Ghantous also scored double-digit goals in 2020-21, scoring 12 and 10, respectively, as the linemates prepare for another impressive season.
A captain in 2020-21, Nardi led the team in points and assists, recording a career-best 33 points during the condensed season.
A slew of veterans will take the ice for the team this season as they return 14 forwards, six defensemen, and two netminders, all of whom saw the ice in 2020-21.
 
FRESH FACES
The Wildcats added seven new faces during the off-season, including four forwards, two defensemen, and a goaltender. Four individuals have experience at the Division I level as Hank Crone and Bo Hanson come to Marquette from Denver (NCHC), Trevor Cosgrove joins the Wildcats from Colgate (ECAC) and Hampus Erikkson, having played in the Berry Events Center multiple times in his collegiate career, joins the ranks of NMU centers after four years at rival Lake Superior State University (WCHA).
 
During the Colgate series, the 'Cats added another new face to the ice. Freshman Jakob Peterson made his collegiate debut on Friday after coming straight from Amarillo (NAHL). Peterson is a 6'3 defender from Marquette.
 
IRON MAN
Having never missed a tilt, Nardi laced up his skates in his 150th career game when the Wildcats opened their season against St. Thomas. The senior captain picked up the primary assist on the first goal of the night for his 100th career point. Skating in 169 straight games, he is the NMU all-time leader in consecutive games played.
 
PRESEASON RANKINGS
The Wildcats, having come one win shy of the 2020-21 NCAA Tournament, were picked to finish fourth in the CCHA as announced by the conference in late September.
 
2021-22 CAPTAINS
Joseph Nardi and Ben Newhouse will renew their leadership roles this season as Nardi enters his second year as captain and third with a letter adorning his sweater. This will be Newhouse's second season as an alternate captain.
 
MASK UP
Northern requires a mask to be worn by all individuals, vaccinated and not vaccinated, whenever inside an NMU facility. This includes all areas of all university facilities, including all indoor athletic venues. The only exception is when an individual is actively eating or drinking.
The masking requirement includes all visitors and groups on campus.
 
YEAR FIVE UNDER COACH POTULNY
Wildcat head coach Grant Potulny enters his fifth season behind the Wildcat bench. In four previous seasons with the team and 149 games at the helm of the Wildcats, Coach Potulny boasts a 75-54-10 record and has led the team to two 20+ win seasons in his four seasons at NMU. Last season, Potulny led his Wildcat squad to its third WCHA semifinal in four years, as well as their second appearance in the tournament championship game during his tenure. In his first season at the helm of the Wildcats, Potulny's team recorded a 25-15-3 season, its first 25-win season since 2001-02, and advanced to the WCHA Championship game.
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